All I’m Sayin’ Is, Don’t Let Us Win Tonight
The Red Sox took game 5 in their best of 7 series with Cleveland sending both teams back to Boston for game 6. Thoughts:
- Remember last year when Red Sox fans were questioning the Josh Beckett trade and Yankee fans were laughing at it? My have times changed. Combine his 20 win regular season with his performance in the post season and what other pitcher would any team rather have on their staff? After taking a year to adjust to the American League Beckett has been nothing short of brilliant (which shows the idiocy of those that deem Dice-K a failure after one season). He is the anti-Roger Clemens. While Clemens has continually come up short in the post season Beckett actually pitches better in the playoffs than the regular season.
- What a difference a few hits and a walk by Dustin Pedroia makes for Boston offensively. Even Lugo contributed with a bunt single. If the Red Sox continue to get production from players not named Ramirez, Ortiz, or Lowell they’re going to give Cleveland everything they can handle. On the other hand, how much more Coco Crisp can the team take before giving Jacob Ellsbury a shot.
- Kenny Lofton has a history of playing mind games, including earlier in the series when he took his time stepping into the batters box hoping to throw Dice-K’s rhythm off. It was amusing to see Kenny Lofton head straight towards Josh Beckett with such intent only to trail off as he got closer and waiting for his teammates to arrive. Beckett’s 6-5, 230. Lofton’s post game comments showed him to be a hypocrite, but he’s not stupid.
- For most of the game it appeared Boston’s luck would continue to be bad. The bloop double for Sizemore in the 1st, Manny’s apparent home run called back, and a possible 2 run double by Lowell landing foul by a couple of inches seemed to be a continuation of games 1 through 4. However, starting with the Kevin Youkilis line drive that the Indians’ Grady Sizemore turned into a triple the Sox finally started catching some breaks. Hopefully that trend will continue.
So onto game 6 and a chance for Curt Schilling to pad his October resume. A betting man would still favor Cleveland, but with the teams returning to Fenway and the Indians missing a great opportunity to put Boston away at home, a glimmer of hope has appeared.
